Debutants make immediate impression

Last updated : 19 July 2005 By Pancho Villa

The £1m summer signing opened his club account after just 24 minutes at the Causeway stadium, cushioning Patrik Berger’s through-ball with his chest before striking it home from 20 yards. The visitors had numerous opportunities to double their lead, with Gavin McCann, Darius Vassell and Luke Moore spurning chances before Peter Whittingham made it 2-0 midway through the second half, coolly finishing after good work down the right from Ulises de la Cruz and Nolberto Solano.

The South American duo were two of ten substitutes introduced after the restart, as only highly-promising defender Gary Cahill, making his first start, playing the full 90 minutes. But it was another debutant that almost made a more immediate impact, when Berger met Hendrie’s lay-off on three minutes, pulling his 25-yard drive just past the upright. Two minutes later Villa could have fallen behind when Clint Easton struck the post but the Premiership side soon regained their composure, with Hendrie causing a menace.


Burberry Man teed up Juan Pablo Angel with a cute back-heel on 13 minutes but Aussie keeper Frank Talia saved well and ten minutes later the Colombian was again denied by a brilliant reflex save. Talia could do nothing a minute later, however, as Phillips struck an unstoppable drive high into the roof of the net and from then on Villa did not look back.


McCann fired straight at the goalkeeper before the interval, and he was one of only four players to survive the break as O’Leary made seven changes. Substitute Vassell almost made an immediate impact, seeing a low drive dug out by the busy Talia before Stonebridge fired a warning that Wycombe were not yet out of the game, firing narrowly wide.


The
England striker turned provider for Luke Moore after the hour, but the looking not unlike a startled deer, the youngster fired wide. Whittingham made no mistake on 67 minutes though as Villa finally doubled their lead and the England Under-21 midfielder almost made it three before the home side, who lost 5-1 to Chelsea last week, again asked questions of the Villa defence, Charlie Griffin rattling the crossbar.